Elijah leaned back in his seat, a sly smile on his face, calculating the answer for Sophia.She looked at him, her eyes searching."Elijah," she began, "you must be someone important to get that kind of respect from Lando Yale. Are you a big deal?"Elijah shook his head, his expression turning serious."No, Sophia," he said softly."I’m just an orphan. The Emperor's residence isn't mine. It belongs to a friend. I’m only staying there for a while."Sophia reached over and took his hand, squeezing it gently."You don’t need to explain, Elijah," she said, her voice kind."I’m your family now. We’re in this together. I’ll earn enough to take care of both of us."Elijah chuckled, his eyes softening."You’re something else, Sophia," he said."But trust me, I’m not a man who needs taking care of."Sophia smiled, her eyes warm."I don’t care," she replied."You took care of me when I had nothing. Now, it’s my turn."Then she grinned by elbowing Elijah softly."C'mon, now you are my man. So, le

Alan stood in the driveway, his face ashen.He was still reeling from Lando Yale’s words when his phone buzzed again.His father, Kelvin Shaw, was shouting, his voice filled with panic and fury."Alan! The Fire Dragon Group is collapsing!" Kelvin barked."Our stock is plummeting. The Emperor Group has cut all ties, and our partners are withdrawing left and right. If this continues, we’ll be bankrupt by the end of the day!"Alan’s knees buckled."What?" he gasped."No, this can’t be happening! Father, there must be something we can do!""Fix this mess, Alan!" Kelvin shouted."Beg if you have to! Just don’t come back until it’s done!"The call disconnected, leaving Alan in stunned silence.His face turned pale as he realized the severity of the situation.The mighty Shaw family was on the brink of collapse, and it was all because of him.He stumbled forward, his legs weak."Sophia, please," he cried, dropping to his knees."I beg you! Ask Mr. Yale to spare the Shaw family. We’ll do anyth

The grand hall of the Atlanta Auction House was buzzing with murmurs and laughter as Arthurton's elites gathered for the evening’s event.The Shaw family, despite their recent downfall, still commanded a certain level of respect because of Zack Shaw. His reputation as a general of the Western Legion preceded him, and many in the room came out of both curiosity and fear. Among the crowd, masked figures moved with purpose.Elijah and Doug, disguised under sleek black masks, entered quietly.Elijah’s gaze was cold and indifferent as he surveyed the room. Doug followed closely behind, his eyes sharp as they scanned the crowd."Zack Shaw may have power," Doug muttered under his breath, "but he's nothing compared to you, Marshal."Elijah gave a slight nod, his attention focused elsewhere."Let them play their games," he replied quietly."We’re here for one thing, and nothing will stop us from getting it."As they made their way through the auction house, there was a sudden shift in the atmo

"Bring her out," Zack ordered, his voice sharp as he waved his hand.His men nodded and immediately went to drag Sophia from the room, her body limp and weakened from the pain.She tried to resist, her legs barely working, but they yanked her forward without care.The cold cement scraped against her feet as they pulled her through the narrow halls, leaving a small trail of blood behind.Sophia's mind was a whirlwind of fear and exhaustion.Her face throbbed from where Zack had cut her, and each step sent waves of pain shooting up her legs.She couldn’t think clearly. Everything hurt.Outside, the auction hall was alive with activity. Arthurton's elites mingled and laughed, pretending to enjoy the lavish event, but everyone knew why they were really there—to gain Zack Shaw's favor.The fake "Lava Heart" painting, damaged as it was, had just been brought out for bidding.Despite its obvious flaws, the elites were eagerly placing bids, each one higher than the last.“Forty million!” someo

"How could I have let this happen?"Elijah muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on the fresh wounds on Sophia’s face.Her once-smooth skin was now marred with cuts and bruises, a painful reminder of Zack Shaw’s brutality.Sophia lay unconscious on the bed in Arthur Palace, her chest rising and falling unevenly.Sweat beaded on her forehead, her skin pale and clammy.She was burning with fever, her lips quivering as she muttered in her sleep, "Please… no more… Zack, please…"Each word felt like a dagger to Elijah's heart.Guilt surged through him as he dipped a cloth into a bowl of cold water, gently pressing it to her forehead."I should’ve been there," he whispered."I should’ve protected you."Sophia flinched in her sleep, her hands twitching as though trying to fend off invisible attackers.Her soft whimpers filled the room, haunting Elijah.Every sound she made was a reminder of his failure.He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small vial of golden liquid—a precious elixir he